Steam-generator.



No. 766,904. PATENTED AUG, 9, 1904. C. I'. RUBY..

STEAM GENERATOR.,

APPLIUATION FILED JULY la. moa.

N0 MODEL.

QH. l may.

.i T All,"

Patented August 9, 1904.

CHARLES F. RUBY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI', ASSIGNOR TO MISSOURI LOCOVOLOCOMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MlSSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

erenwimeeuesnren,

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 766,904, dated August9, 1904i.`

' lNo. 165,281. (No model.)

To n/ZZ whom, it hefty con/cern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES FRUBY, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hnngary, re-

siding' at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented ticularly for use inconnection with antoniobiles, the object being to simplify theconstruction of devices of this character, whereby steam may begenerated quickly and economically.

Referring to the drawings, 39 indicates a casing, bolted or otherwisesecured to the casting, which carries bars 29. This shell or casing 39is preferably cylindrical.

4l() indicates aflanged ring, secured to the shell 39 and provided withopenings 4l, which are the escape-oliicliings for the products ofcombustion from the generator. This iianged ring carries a shell orcasing 42, which is attached to the top plate 43, said top plate alsohaving the shell 39 connected to it. Aremovable cap or cover 44 iscarried by the top plate, by removing which access may be gained to thecombustion-chamber of the geni-natm'.v

Openings 45 are provided in the shell 39 near its outer edge, throughwhich the products of combustion pass on their way from thecombustion-chalinber to the escape-openings 41.

For the sake of distinction l will term the chamber or annular spaceformed by the shell 39 and the 'flanged ringl 40, the shell 4t2, and thetop plate i3 as the primary heating chamber. ln this primaryheating-chamber is located a coil or coils of pipe 4:6, into the lowerextremities of which water is supplied by means of a suitable headerthrough the pipe 9. A core 46a is ar anged in this feedwater pipe, saidcore beingl in the form of a lwire, for restricting the water-passageand also for distributing the heat throughout the water uniformly. bywire-gauze, and the primary heating-chamber around the coils L6 ispreferably pacled with metallic turnings or shavings, which interruptthe products of combustion and retain and impart heat to coils flo, sothat Water passing therethrough will be initially heated. Upon reachingthe upper terminals of coils 4:6 the water so initially heated isreceived into a header or manifold and by a suitable pipe connection ledinto the top flasher-sec tion 4K7. This flasher-section is preferably acasing observing substantially a U shape, suitable openings leading fromthe passage therein for the purpose of removing the core. These openingsare subsequently plugged for obvious reasons. The water from the primaryheater is in communication with one leg of the Lil-shaped passage andafter traversing the said passage is led down at the extremity 'of theother leg of the passage by a pipe i8 into the next adjacentflasher-section.` The water or steam is caused to traverse thisflasher-section and pass thence through a pipe to the nextflasher-section, which is traversed and the steam led therefrom throughthe pipe 12. All of these liasher-sections are preferably made from thesame pattern, and each `section is provided with heat retaining andconducting flanges 4S), which are so disposed as to engage the shell 39:for the purpose of holding the .flasher-sections immovably in position.Other means may be employed for holding these sections in place; but bymaking li he Aliasher-sections it will be obvious that consid erablesaving is effected in the cost of manufacture thereof. luto one of theseflasher-sections is screwed a plug 50, which serves the double functionof closing one of the coreopenings and of supporting the vaporizingplug23 of the temperatm'e .regulating and controlling device. into thepassage of the lowermost 'Iiashersection is introduced a coilspring' 5],the purpose of which is to restrict the water-passage in saidllasher-section. This coil-spring can be conveniently introduced throughthe core-opening, and by reason of Openings 41 are covered.

the small area of contact with its inclosing iiasher-section this springis naturally of lower temperature than the iiasher-section, andconsequently assists in converting the water into steam. Theseflasher-sections are preferably formed from cast-steel, and, as is wellknown, to form the passage therein a core must be employed in formingthe casting. This core is necessarily larger than the size of theopening required in the finished flasher-sections for the water-passage,and to reduce the size of said passage the coil-springs are introducedtherein, as shown. Vhile I have described the coil-spring as beingarranged in the lowermost flasher-section, it is obvious thatsprings canbe employed in the other flasher-sections, also that other means may beemployed for the purpose of reducing the water-passage in saidflasher-sections.

In the combustion-chamber of the generator and around the lowermostflasher-section is packed granulated refractory material, preferably ofmagnesite or other well-known fire-resisting substance. This granulatedrefractory material is supported by the bars 29, and adjacent said barsthe particles are finely divided, they increasing in size until themiddle flasher section is reached. Above the middle flasher-sectionl thecombustion-chamber is open. In this manner connected airspaces areformed from the burner to the open space in the top of thecombustionchamber, said connected air-spaces, by reason of the incrementin size of the particles of refractory material, gradually increasingtoward the open space. In starting the burner it has been noticed thatthe mixed air and gas will be consumed well up in the refractorymaterial, at the beginning burning with some considerable flame in theopen chamber at the top'of the combustion-chamber. As the refractorymaterial becomes heated the iame decreases, and finally in the normaloperation of the device the mixture will combust by catalytic action andbe located close to the burner-bars 29, the refractory material becomingincandescent, so that perfect combustion follows and a most eiiicientburner results. It has been found that the surface area of refractorymaterial exposed to the combustible mixture greatly influences thecapacity of the generator for burning said mixture, as well as thecapability of the device for burning the gases by catalytic action. Onthe other hand, catalytic combustion will only take place when therefractory material is heated to a rather high temperature. Thus inorder to expose a large surface of the refractory material vto the gasesI introduce sm all granulated particles of refractory material in thebottom of the combustion-chamber and increase the size of said particlestoward the top of the space occupied by the refractory material. Instarting the burner the large cool surface exposed by the smallergranulated particles, with their small interstices or connectedair-spaces, will prevent combustion close to the burner, and likewisethis fact will also retard the heating up of these small particles tothe temperature where catalytic combustion will take place. As thelarger pieces of granulated refractory material present larger spaces tobe occupied by the gases, combustion will take place in these largerspaces and heat the larger pieces of granulated material to aconsiderable extent. This heat will by radiation raise the temperatureof the smaller granulated particles up to a point where catalyticcombustion will take place in a zone adjacent the" bars 29. Combustionof the gases occuring in such a heated mass as these finer particles ofgranulated materialwill take place in an extremely short length of time,and thus restrict the zone of combustion within the liner particles ofgranulated material and at the same time prevent the intermixing of theproducts of combustion with the incoming fresh gas. This fact alsocontributes to complete combustion in a restricted zone, Where the gasesare introduced under any desired pressure, so that the products ofcombustion can be directed to any desired point without additional help,such as a forced draft, ac.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a steam-generator, the combination with generator-sections havingheat collecting and retaining flanges, of a combustion-chamber in whichsaid sections are located, particles of refractory material surroundingone of said sections and in close contact with its flanges, there beinginterstices between said particles, and a fuel-supply nozzle arrangedexteriorly said combustion-chamber; substantially as described.

2. In a steam-generator, the combination with a combustion-chamber, ofgenerator-sections arranged therein and provided with heat collectingand retaining flanges, particles of refractory material in which theiianges of the lowermost section are buried, and a fuelsupply nozzlearranged exteriorly said combustion-chamber; substantially as described.

8. In a steam-generator, the combination with a combustion-chamber, ofgenerator-sections arranged therein, and stratified particles ofrefractory material in said combustionchamber, the upper stratum of saidrefractory material being the coarser; substantially as described.

4. In a steam-generator, the combination with a combustion-chamber, of aburner located at one side thereof, generator-sections in saidcombustion-chamber, and stratified refractory material arranged in saidcombustion-chamber approximate to the burner, the strata nearest theburner being the finer; substantially as described.

5. In a steam-generatonvthe combination lOO with a e0mbnstion-ehamber,of a burner arranged at one side thereof, generator-sections in saidcombustion-chamber, granulated refractory material in saidcombustion-chamber and approximate to said burner, at least one ot' saidsections being' buried in said refractory material, the other of saidsections having` free space therearound, and an opening for the productsof Combustion leading` from Said space; substantially as described.

6. In a steam-generator, the Combination with a combustion-chamber, ofgenerator-seetions arranged therein and having,l circumferential anges,the fianges of one of the seetions alining with those of the other, and

